PS 3507 
.145 R4 
1914 
^opy 1 



REVERIES 

§■■■■■■■■ O/ a ^■HH^H 

aRCUS CLOWN 




BIT lid:^2C JDIXjILi^S 




MAX DILLAE 



REVERIES OF A 
CIRCUS CLOWN 




BY 

MAX piLLAE 

(OF DILLAE AND GEYER) 



FAIRBURY, NEBRASKA 
The WILSON PRESS 

1914 






COPYRIGHT, 1914 
BY MAX DILLAE 



MAR 19 !9I4 



eCI,A369394 



PREFACE 



those dear friends who have 

1 shared with me the joy and toil, 

the honors and disappointments, 

of the saw-dust ring are these 

pages dedicated. Between the lines may 

be disclosed the unspoken things only 

intimate association can reveal. 

If they serve to recall an incident 
long forgotten, to uncover a hidden 
memory, to bring back the clasp of a 
comrade's hand, or even to prove but a 
pleasant companion in leisure moments, 
they have served well the author's pur- 

P^^^- Sincerely. 







CONTENTS 






PAGE 


Illustration . . . . 


IV 


Shows I've Been With . 


5 


The Circus Fever * . . 


6 


Leaving the Show Flat 


8 


Lots of Lots .... 


10 


Circus Day . ... 


11 


A Fool There Was 


12 


When the Circus Season's Over 


14 


Forty Years Ago 


16 


Why I'm Not on the Water 




Wagon 


18 


The Parade 


19 


Closing Day 


20 


Who Shall We Notify 


22 


Illustration .... 


V 


Illustration . . . . 


VI 


*^ 




•"•:::::-,_'...™._ ■ ■ -i 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



SHOWS I'VE BEEN WITH 

I'VE trouped around this world a bit, 
I've been from coast to coast; 
I've trouped with every kind of show 

That one could ever boast. 
With the "electric king" and "doctor quack" 

I've played some lonesome towns, 
With "Ten Nights", too, and "Uncle Tom" 

I've played both ice and hounds. 
In repertoire I've played all parts 

From juvenile leads on down; 
I've even posted up the bills 

Three days before we hit the town. 
I've been with every wagon show 

That you have ever heard; 
Drove a team, and even stakes, 

Had lots of fun, 'pon my word. 
In vod'ville and with minstrel troupes 

Some progress I have made; 
In two-a-day and ten-a-day 

And "mellers" I have played. 
Of railroad shows I've been with some, 

From two cars to eighty-five; 
Been in several "hey rubes", too. 

And lucky, perhaps, I'm alive. 
To finish this I want to say 

I'm very glad to know; 
I've had success in trouping 

With most every kind of show. 



Page 5 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



T 



THE CIRCUS FEVER 

HEY may talk of fever, chills, 



And a thousand other ills, 
That go to make the doctor's human code; 

But the worst I know of yet — 

Makes a fellow fuss and fret — 
Is the hopeless, restless fever of the road: 

There's the sawdust or the bark — 

When you're in a city park, 
With a million funny, friendly circus smells — 

And the wagons — red, gold and white, 

Hard to find a prettier sight, 
Once you've worked there, why you won't work 
nowhere else. 

They may have their rainy days, 

When the wind with canvas plays, 
And your clothes all take a tumble off the line; 

But the music of the band, 

W^hen you're "marching" through the sand, 
To me is like the joy of rare old wine: 

And I love the busy lot. 

When the day is boilin' hot. 
With the teams and "bulls" and hustlin' crews, 

And the bunch all tellin' yarns, 

Of their orange and chicken farms. 
While nobody ever seems to have the "blues." 



Page 6 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



There's the public's steady pour, 
Crowding through the big front door, 

The lions, and the elephants a-weavin' to and fro; 
And the ticket seller's "speech", 
As he hands you two "best seats", 

And the boys all gettin' ready for the show: 

There's the usher's friendly smile. 

As he shows you up the aisle. 

And the band, whose music charms, I must con- 
fess; 

We're in the land of harmony, 
And all as happy as can be. 
It's as soothing as a mother's soft caress. 

When the bugle calls the "chase", 

And another's in my place. 
And I'm far beyond the reach of discipline; 

When I've closed the "Taylor" trunk. 

And I'm missing from my bunk, 
And the wardrobe, too, is missin' from the line: 

When I've made my last "parade", 

And I'm 'neath the willow's shade, 
And the boys they miss me when they pass the 
cup aroun'. 

Not: "What am I here for?"— 

But I'll walk right in the door 
And get a job in hades actin' clown. 



Page? 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



LEAVING THE SHOW FLAT 

TtiERE was an actor got a hunch 
That he was strictly "it"; 
Just to get even with the manager 
He quit. 

The manager, he bore it wondrous well; 
He never moaned or swore, 
But f&id, "As you go out, don't slam 
The door." 

The other artists with the show 
Did not go moping much that day; 
They laughed and said, "Good-bye", and drew 
Their pay. 

He thought: "They do not realize 

That I have left them to their fate; 

So much the better, let them laugh; 

But wait." 

And then he ambled down the street 
And confidently told the town, 
"Now, fellows, watch and see the show 
Fall down." 



Pages m 

^2 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

Somehow or other the show went on; 
The business did not go to smash; 
The manager went smiling as he took in 
The cash. 

And every day this actor met 
Some friend who didn't know he'd quit, 
And didn't care or wasn't sore 
A bit. 

It rather stunned him that the show 
Went gaily on and didn't fall; 
And he, the famous artist, wasn't missed 
At all. 

Somehow there isn't any man 
For whom the whole creation squirms; 
And good actors cluster 'round a job 
Like germs. 

And when you up and leave the show 
And think the whole blame' works will quit 
The Joker hollers, "Tag, old man, 
You're it" 

The show goes plugging, plodding on, 
As unconcerned as it can be; 
If you are mentioned someone asks: 
••Who's he?" 



Page 9 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



LOTS OF LOTS 

THERE'S dear old Frisco's sandy lot, 
Some sand, too — if 3^ou please; 
You're busy many days thereaft', 
With Frisco's little fleas. 

On Arizona's barren lots — 

A thrill we get, indeed; 
When slipping on your patent leathers— 

You find a centipede. 

With the gumbo down in Texas, 
There's nothing to compare; 

I'll take the sand and fleas, etc., 
In preference to lots there. 

Way up in Maine the lots are green, 

The grass is everywhere; 
Believe me they are regulars, 

Why everyone's a "bear". 

Big city lots are all alike— 

With gullies, cans and junk; 

It takes three days of the week stand. 
To level up your trunk. 



Pa,e ,0 ^^ 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

Although I've mentioned our dislikes— 

Of various lots we show; 
We don't expect the lot to be 

A court each day you know. 
4* ^ 4. 4. 

CIRCUS DAY 

BANNERS floating, flags in air! 
Savage beasts in den and lair! 
Hordes of people crowding roun', 
For it's circus day in town. 

Lew Graham wears a merry smile, 
He's the orator you can hear a mile; 

He makes the "openings" every day— 
And always something new to say. 

The crowd is surging toward the stand, 

To the raggy strains of the side show band; 
Old "Zip" is up for the ballahoo, 

The old "What-is-it" still draws" them, too. 
In the "big top" midst the throng and noise, 

Professor Richards says "alright boys", 
"Mount!" John Agee yells with glee— 

And the show is off again, you see. 
The acts they come and the acts they go— 

And thrill the patrons of the show; 



Page / / 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOV/N 



Suddenly music, artists, horses all pause, 
Lew Graham's appearance is the cause. 

Lew's stately form on a ring curb mounts, 
Just a word from him and you bet it counts. 

The ''ceiling walkers" you heard Lew say, 
Will positively appear in the concert today. 

The afternoon has passed and gone, 
Why the night performance is now on — 
***** 

'Tis over and the artists are going home, 
And another merry old day has flown. 

i§» <!* «i» «§. 

A FOOL THERE WAS 

(With apologies to Rudyard Kipling) 

A FOOL there was and he made his quest — 
(Even as you and I) 
To a blonde soubrette in gay burlesque, 
(We called her the woman who never could love) 
But the fool he called her his turtle dove, 
(Even as you and I). 

___„____„__„____^_ _„__ 

Page 12 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

A fool there was and his coin he blew— 

(Even as you and I) 
For champagne, taxies and flowers for Lou; 
The soubrette cared naught for the fool 'tis true, 
But the fool was in love and what could he do? 

(Even as you and 1). 

He followed the show from town to town, 

(Even as you and I) 
Every day at the stage door he'd wait around, 
But the blonde soubrette could seldom be found. 
She'd left by the front didn't care to be hound', 

(Even as you and I). 

He followed her to Pittsburg, the city of smoke, 

(Even as you and I) 
She conceived an idea while dodging the moke. 
She married a millionaire just for a joke, 
And the fool he returned to his hometown broke, 

(Even as you and I). 

The fool was "stung" of course, 'tis true, 

(Even as you and I) 
Now he's learned to love a town girl he knew, 
He's buying her bon-bons, saving money, too, 
They'll be married soon, he's forgotten "Lou", 

(Even as you and I). 



Page 13 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

WHEN THE CIRCUS 

SEASON^S OVER 

WHEN the summer's over and the circus 
season's past, 
Say, old trouper, ain't you thankful that 
you're thru, and home at last? 
Ain't you glad to shed the clown suit, and to 

wash the white away? 
Ain't you glad you're feelin' hungry and it's 

Thanksgiving day? 
Ain't you proud you've done your level and 

you've earned an honest rest? 
Don't the feelin' of achievement make you kind 
o' swell your chest? 

Ain't you glad the wife is waitin' — and she thinks 
you're kind o' late, 

Don't you hurry from the depot, so she won't 
have long to wait? 

Ain't you pleased to see her standin' in the door- 
way with a smile? 

Don't the greeting that she gives you make the 
struggle worth the while? 

Ain't you glad that dinner's ready and the grub 
is piping hot? 

Don't you fairly love the aroma of the steamin' 
coffee pot? 

Now, ain't it solid comfort, when you've settled 

down to eat? 
Don't the way wife serves the victuals make each 

morsel seem a treat? 



Page 14 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



Like as not it ain't a banquet — just plain spuds 
and beef and bread, 

But you've got a bankroll started and you're get- 
tin' some ahead, 

Oh, it's good and appetizin', if it is a little plain, 

And it builds up lots of muscle and it stimulates 
the brain. 

Ah, but when the meal is finished and you have 

a quiet smoke, 
Now, ain't you glad you're livin'? — Why yes, 

'tain't no joke, 
With the dearest little woman that one could 

ever get; 
You're certainly glad you're home again, on that 

I'll stake a bet, 
She sits upon your knee while some stories you 
j relate, 

I Of hov/ the show took in the coin 'way down in 

Texas state. 

Then you plan with wifie on the good time not 

so far, 
When you'll quit the job of clowning to be a 

Broadway star, 
You have served your time at jesting — it's been 

hard old goin', too. 
But it won't be very long now till some chap will 

"headline" you. 
Say, old trouper, ain't that plannin' in the future 

heaps o' fun? 
When the summer's over and the circus season's 

done. 



1^^ Pa,. ,5 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 
FORTY YEARS AGO 

I'VE wandered to the circus, Al., 
I've sat beneath the tent, 
Out on the old Fair Grounds 

Where many hours we spent; 
But few were left to greet me, AL, 

The new ones didn't know 
We clowned upon that same old lot 
Some forty years ago. 

The grass was just as green, AL, 

The sun was just as hot, 
Red lemonade and peanuts, too, 

By "rubes" were eager sought; 
The monkeys cut the same old shines, 

The "bulls" were just as slow, 
The "spielers" spiel about the same 

As forty years ago . 

The "big top" now is altered some; 

Much larger than before. 
The carpeted planks are replaced by chairs, 

And numbered by the score; 
But the same old scent of sawdust, 

I could hear the whistle blow, 
It brought back memories, AL, 

Of forty years ago. 



Page 16 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

The old clown sings no song now, AL, 

But pantomimes, instead, 
I'll tell you things have changed a lot, 

Most singing clowns are dead; 
The costumes and the make-ups 

Have changed so much you know. 
In fact, it's all so very different 

Since forty years ago. 

The tournament and entree 

Have both been layed away. 
And in their place they now present 

"Joan of Arc", v;here some twelve hundred 
play; 
And dancing girls, three hundred now, 

Are carried with the show. 
Just a few more changes, AL, 

Since forty years ago. 

The old star burner is replaced 

By electric arcs so bright. 
The "big top" now is light as day 

Upon the darkest night; 
So many things have changed, AL, 

Since we were with the show. 
And now I realize that we have changed 

Since forty years ago. 



Page 17 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



WHY FM NOT ON 

THE WATER WAGON 

HEN I was born 'twas a terrible time, 
Doc said "triplets", strange but true; 
Pa said to Ma: "Pick out the one you want 
And I'll drown the other two." 

I held my breath now, you can bet, 

While Ma looked on in vain — 
She looked and looked, then looked again, 

Then said: "They all look just the same." 

They brought the tub, I said "Good-bye", 

The nurse said "bath", of course, you see; 

Then Ma said, "really I can't select, 
I'll just have to keep all three." 

When I had grown to be a lad, 

Some neighbors said, to Ma; 
"Why don't you drown that brat of yours — 

He's no good to his Pa." 

With a boat show I was trouping, 

There was aqua all aroun'; 
I'd hear, "The water's high or water's low — 

We cannot reach tomorrow's town." 



Page 18 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 



Water's all I've heard from infancy 

And it has the best of me; 
That's why my seat is vacant 

On the "wagon", you can see. 

* ♦ ♦ * 

THE PARADE 

THE faint, soft sound of a bugle, 
I imagine I can hear; 
A harbinger of the circus parade, 
To all of us so dear. 

They are coming 'round the corner now 
Those dapples, beauties, everyone; 

Now listen to the jolly throng 
Make selections— just for fun. 

The band, a real big circus band 

With musicians by the score; 
They play overtures and rags all day, 

And then we wish they'd play still more. 

The massive dens of gold and white. 

Are next to fall in line; 
With the lions and the tigers fierce, 

With coats so sleek and fine. 

The clown band next appears 

With "Sousa" jesters fat and lean; 

They almost play a tune — sometimes, 

And say a lot of things they never mean. 



Page 19 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

The elephants are coming now, 

Gracious! Forty-one, you say? 
The largest in captivity. 

And a baby, one year old today. 

There are brunettes, blonds and titians, too. 

From every clime we know; 
With jeweled gowns and feathers tall, 

With this "World's Greatest Show". 

The monkeys now are passing. 

Our ancestors they say; 
Without the monk the clown and "bull", 

There' d be no show today. 

The calliope brings up the rear 

As usual, we all know; 
Playing "Dixie" and the popular airs, 

And we follow it to the show. 

^ ^ ^ 4. 

CLOSING DAY 

EVERYBODY'S happy, it's closing day 
today, 
We've had a prosperous season and we're glad 
to get away; 



Page 20 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

Most everyone has money, and a vaudeville 

route, 
Yes, everybody's happy there isn't any doubt. 

The special train is waiting to take us all away. 
You know they have the specials on every 

closing day; 
Some go to Chicago, New York and London too, 
Everyone goes somewhere, they scatter some 

'tis true. 

Everyone is smiling as they grasp your hand 

with joy, 
"Hope to see you next year — good luck to 

you, old boy;" 
Everybody's happ5% everybody's gay. 
When the band plays "Auld Lang Syne" on 

the closing day. 

Everybody's happy when they close with lots 
of coin, 

You bet they're just as happy when they get 
the call to join; 

The ozone is inviting and the band sounds 
mighty good. 

You have a job for thirty weeks, it's thor- 
oughly understood. 



Page 21 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 
WHO SHALL WE NOTIFY? 

IN the thrilling hippodrome races, 
A jockey was thrown to the ground, 
They carried him into the hospital tent, 

His injury not fatal they found; 
The doctor was dressing the various wounds. 

The performers were standing close by, 
Then doc whispered softly and gently: 

"What friends shall we notify?" 
The jockey was just getting conscious, 

And he raised his bandaged head, 
He calmly surveyed the surroundings — 

And then he slowly said: 
"Alice is waiting in Milwaukee, 

Jennie in old St. Paul, 
Gertrude is over in Buffalo, 

And Fannie's in Montreal; 
Lena is somewhere in Omaha, 

Nellie's in Baraboo, 
Bessie is now in Louisville, 

And Laura's in Waterloo: 
Olga is over in gay Paree, 

Genevieve's in Frisco still, 
Mildred is waiting in Providence, 

And Lulu's in Jacksonville; 



Page 22 



REVERIES OF A CIRCUS CLOWN 

Anna is living in Washington, 

Mabel is in Detroit, 
Ethel is down in St. Augustine, 

And Helen is up in Beloit: 
Etta lives somewhere in New Orleans, 

A wire will reach Celia in Howe, 
There's Mollie and Polly and Susie and 
Dolly— 

—That's all I can think of now." 




Page 23 




MAX DILLAE 

READY FOR THE PERFORMANCE TO BEGIN 







MISS BETH GEYER 

SOPRANO 
(OF DILLAE AND GEYER) 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



015 973 626 A 



